Va’eschanan - 1st Portion

Join us as we learn Humish for Sunday, the first Torah reading of Parshas Va'eschanan, chapter 3, verse 23. Last week we started with Moshe on the day of on the month before his passing telling the Jewish people about the different events that happened during the 40 years of traveling together from the Exodus of Egypt and rebuking them as well as events that happened. Today Moshe continues and he talks about his own asking God for forgiveness and entreating upon God that he should be able to enter the land of Israel. And I prayed and entreated God at that time saying, the word Va'eschanan happens to be the numeric value of 515, saying that's how many prayers Moshe prayed to God to ask him to enter the land of Israel. Rashi, whenever we find the word entreat or the word Va'eschanan comes from the word chinam, asking God for a gift for no reason, meaning a free gift. Moshe was asking not because I merited something, not because I earned it, but just asking God that I should be able to go into the land of Israel. Even though technically the tzaddikim have what to base their merits on, still they were asking of God only as to give it not because they were worthy of it, not because they did something for it, but as a free gift. The theme Omar like when God called Moses and he taught him about the way to pray. And he said This is the words that Moshe said after God said to Moshe after the sin of the golden calf, that I will then find mercy upon those, meaning I will give them a free gift even though they're They are deserving it, I'm still going to forgive them. Therefore, Moshe asks the same way back to God. He said to him in a way also, the same way you were kind enough to forgive the Jewish people even though they weren't worthy of it. So too, allow me to go into the land of Israel even though I may not be worthy of it. This is also one of the terminologies and expressions that are called prayer. Like the Sifrei over here enumerates that there are 10 different terminologies for prayer but S'chanan is one of them. But he at that time, what does it mean at that time? Why specifically at that time did he ask God to be able to go into the land of Israel? After we already conquered the nations of Sichon and Og, the I thought that maybe the promise was now annulled because since the nations of Reuben, Gad, and half of Shevet Menashe were going to take upon that place, God said you're not going to bring the nation into the land of Israel but maybe other of maybe it was annulled. Lemer says that this is one of the three places where God said when Moshe said to God, I'm not going to let go. I'm not going to leave you until you tell me an answer yes or no. Verse 24. God, you took the initiative to show your servant as God, your great, your magnitude, your magnitude, your magnanimity, your greatness, and your right hand. I shall mean your strong right hand that I shall mean kill by shamayim that who is like you in the heaven who send in earth I shall mean who can match your deeds and your might. Rashi, I shall mean You are merciful in judgment. I shall mean you shall mean You began meaning you pass out the I mean to misspell you showed me that there's always room to pray, there's always hope, never give up. Al pi sh'niksar g'zeira, even though the decree was made. Omer loy, Moshe said to God, mim kol umados ti I learned from you, shamarta li, you told me even after the Jewish people sinned with the golden calf, atah anochi leave me alone and I will be able to destroy the Jewish people, v'chi teives as easy b'chach that I have to with why did you have to tell me now leave me? Elo, you were giving me an opportunity to fleichli Pesach, lifteich Pesach, you were giving me the opportunity to say sh'bi hoyo toli, leave me, but you were allowing me now to say, okay, and continue to pray for the Jewish people. Therefore, I believe the same I can do as well now. As gadl'cha, your greatness, the magnitude of God, zum mi d'stuvecha, this is your ability to be kind, v'cheinu omer, as it says also in the book of in the by when it came to the spies, v'acta v'atah yigdal na koach Hashem, and now let God's strength be uplifted, be magnified. This is Moshe praying that when we magnify God's greatness, that's when God has the kindness for the Jewish people. V'as yad'cha, zu y'min'cha, that's your right hand, sh'puta, which is always open l'chol bayo olam, to all those that come. Hachazaka, the strong one, chapter keivish b'rachamim, as a middas achadim b'chazka, that you hold back the the attribute of judgment with strength. Asher Michael l'shamayim, ein k'deimul v'asur, melech basar v'adam, you are not like a king of flesh and blood, she'ashrei y'shiyei t'visan v'snak'd'rin, that he has advisors and ministers that he consults with. Amemachim b'yado, who are there that that tell him what he should do and what he shouldn't do, and they can argue with him. K'shehu rotzeh l'asos chesed v'lav adam yodei'a k'shehu God wants to do kindness and pass over what his initial attributes may be, meaning the way he was feeling, atah, ein mishum mi yimach b'yad'cha, im timchol l'tzvas g'zeiras'cha, there's nobody that's going to stop you, protest if you forgive me and you allow me to go into the land of Israel. Simply translated the verse means as follows. You already began to show me your greatness with by doing the war of because look at he uses the same terminology previously in chapter two. Look, you have begun before me. show me as well how I can conquer the 31 kings that are ahead of me in the land of Canaan. Verse 25. Allow me to pass. To cross over the Jordan River. I can see the good land on the other side of the Jordan the good mountain. And Lebanon. Please allow me to pass. What is he referring to when he talks about the good mountains? That's referring to Jerusalem. Literally translates as Lebanon. This is called the holy temple is referred to as Lebanon, which is called Lebanon as we find Jeremiah refers to the holy temple as well as Lebanon. Verse 26. However, God was angry with me because of you. Did not listen. Enough. Do not continue to speak to me about this matter. What is the word means became upset at me because of you. You were the one that caused it because if I wouldn't have been upset about the fact that you were complaining about the water, then this wouldn't have happened. It says in in Psalm 106 that they got upset and angry by the waters of complaining and they made and they made it bad for Moshe because of them. Ravlakh, sure enough, shul yimru, people shouldn't say kam akasha v'atalmit kam asarvin. Shouldn't say, "Look how stubborn the teacher is, and look how how look how difficult the teacher is that he doesn't want to listen to the student who is stubborn that one continues to ask again and again. Davar acher, another explanation, Ravlakh, enough. Harbei m'zeh sh'amru l'cha Rav, tevat atzmo l'cha, meaning, "I've I have plenty of good that I have for you for your reward, more than that the entering of the world the land of Israel, but in the world to come that you're going to get a greater reward." Verse 27. Al le rosh ha'pisgah, what you could do however is you can ascend to the peak of the mountain. Which mountain? Mountain of Avot, as we'll soon see. Tzah yinah from there you can lift up your eyes. V'yamah v'tzfonah v'negba, westward, northward, and southward. U'mizrachah, and eastward. U're'eh einacha, and you will see with your eyes ki lo sa'avor zeh, you can see it, but you will not be able to cross the Jordan River. Rashi. U're'eh einacha, bikashta mimeni, you asked for Eretz Yisrael, you asked that you want to cross over to be able to see the land. Guess what? Half of your request I'll be able to give. Ani mareh l'cha et kolah, I'm going to show you the whole entirety of the land. Shenemar, as it says, "V'yar Hashem et kol ha'aretz." God showed him the entire land of Israel. Verse 28. V'tzav et Yehoshua. Instead, you're not going to be going into the land of Israel, so therefore you have to prepare the Jewish people, and the leader of the Jewish people will be Yehoshua. Command Yehoshua, v'chazkeihu v'amtzeihu, strengthen him and encourage him, ki hu ya'avor lifnei ha'am because he's going to be the one to lead the Jewish people, as I said, this nation, ki hu ha'aretz lahem, and he will have conquer the land for them, Rashi, v'tzav et Yehoshua. You command him. What are you going to command him about? Al hatroch v'al hamasa'ot v'al hamarivut, let him know of the difficulties and the challenges and the complaints that the Jewish people are going to give him. Because of I'm telling you strengthen him and encourage him. He might be hesitant to be able to lead the Jewish people and say the same way my master, my teacher got punished because of the Jewish people, the same thing will happen to me and I will not be able to enter the land of Israel. So therefore promise him that don't worry, he's going to be the one to take him into the land of Israel. Who you are there. He's going to be the one in your name that only if Yeshua is going to be the one to lead before them. You know how to lead them, they'll conquer the land. >> [snorts] >> We love but if Yeshua will not be the one they will not be able to conquer the land. We find this later on when the Jewish people actually conquered the land of Israel that it was dependent on this condition. Because Yeshua because when Yeshua sent people from the nation, 3,000 people L I to the city of I to wage war against it. But who Yeshua but he did not go with them. And Yaakov and I and the people of I then hurt the Jewish people. The key went to knock on the door of God. Look, come look receive. When he complained to God and said what's going on over here? God tells him get up. You're sending my children to war but you're sitting back. Why are you falling on your face? Look at what I should have this is not what I told Moshe your teacher. I mean who I am I even love and even because I promised them and I said if you leave them in war then they win. If not, they don't conquer and therefore over here Yeshua was supposed to go before them and he didn't and that's why the Jewish people were defeated and that's what God was telling him and that's what Moshe is saying as well now that Yeshua has to lead the Jewish people in order for them on the condition for them to be successful. The nation of the guy and we settled in guy Mool base power opposite of the base power. The nation of Over here he's reminding them of what happened when it came to the ball power that they became attached to the idolatry which is called power for an awful beginning and still and all you are not punished like I did for after Israel and now he continues with the next verse in chapter 4. Listen to the words how much a lot you are going to merit it because everything was forgiven for you and you will be I was not I did not merit to be forgiven. That's why now Moshe continues to tell them the importance of the commandments even though that up until now they were forgiven. He tells them yes, you were forgiven and therefore you will be crossing across the Jordan River and you will have to follow these laws. I was not forgiven and therefore I will not be able to cross across the Jordan. Chapter 4 verse 1. Now Israel listen to the rules and the ordinances I should you would have come that I'm going to teach you today and I'm going to be teaching you last is to do the so that you may live and you will come and take possession that God the God of your fathers will be giving to you. Verse 2. Do not add anything to what I command you today. And also do not diminish or subtract from anything that I give you. To protect and follow the laws that God gives you. that I'm commanding you today. Do not add or subtract. What is the mission of for example There are four sections four four scrolls in the you're going to say I want to be super holy and I'm going to put five. Or or five kinds of the of five cities or five citizens that are four you should also not subtract as many explained that sometimes from a person trying to think that he becomes more than what the Torah commands that causes him to subtract as well. Verse 3. Your eyes have seen today and witnessed the fact of what God has done to the idolatry of power because all those those that are followed after the idolatry of power he God exterminated them from your midst. And you and all of you are all of you are all of you are alive today it is because you have lovingly attached yourself to God. This concludes the Torah reading for Sunday Parshas Va'eschanan.